Evidence Based Birth®

In this episode, the EBB Research Team is answering three questions we received from our Pro Members! We take a close look at the evidence behind doula presence in the operating room, the risk of experiencing another severe perineal tear after a previous injury, and what white coat hypertension in pregnancy can tell us about future risk.
Each question reflects real situations birth workers are encountering in practice, where guidance is often inconsistent, policies vary widely, and the research can feel hard to translate into day-to-day care. We walk through what the studies show, where the evidence is limited, and how this information can be used to support informed, individualized decision-making.
(06:15) Evidence on doulas in the operating room
(12:53) Participant experiences with doulas in the OR
(14:20) Risk of severe perineal tears in subsequent births
(17:30) Clarifying repeat tear severity and rates
(20:27) White coat hypertension vs. preeclampsia
(27:02) How blood pressure should be taken correctly
(31:10) Research on white coat hypertension and pregnancy outcomes
(36:20) Global trends and rising rates of hypertensive disorders
Resources
See the full list of references: ebbirth.com/387
Learn more about the EBB Pro Membership: ebbirth.com/become-pro-member/
Get the Evidence on: Skin-To-Skin After Cesarean: ebbirth.com/the-evidence-for-skin-to-skin-care-after-a-cesarean/

In EBB 350, Krista DeYoung called in from her hospital room after weeks of inpatient monitoring for partial placental abruption. She and Dr. Rebecca Dekker had just finished a crash course on preparing for a Cesarean, not knowing that information would be needed just 30 minutes later.
In this follow-up episode, Krista returns to share what happened next: the urgent decision-making, the move to labor and delivery, and the Cesarean birth that unfolded just days before her scheduled 37-week surgery.
Krista walks through the physical sensations of an urgent Cesarean, the grounding techniques that helped her stay calm during surgery, and the emotional reality of recovering after major abdominal surgery. She also opens up about NICU life, bringing her baby home on oxygen, and the unexpected emotional release that came after finally leaving the hospital following more than a month of inpatient care.
(04:04) Krista's extended hospital stay & partial placental abruption recap
(09:39) Preparing for a Cesarean just hours before it happened
(011:07) Realizing there are Cesarean birth options
(12:59) Staying calm: grounding, breath, and mental preparation
(13:59) Labor begins & the shift to an urgent Cesarean
(18:10) Epidural, tugging sensations, and what Cesarean feels like
(20:54) Baby Jace is born!
(23:40) Focusing inward during surgery
(27:25) First moments with Jace & NICU transfer
(31:42) Leaving the hospital after a month-long stay
(38:10) Feeding challenges after NICU
(41:26) Physical & emotional recovery after a Cesarean
(45:52) Advice for families preparing for a Cesarean
(47:38) Gratitude and shout-outs to nurses & care teams
 
Resources
EBB 266 – Advocating for your Newborn during an Unexpected NICU Stay with EBB Childbirth Class Graduates Priscilla and Nathan Layman
EBB 284 – How to Help NICU Families Find Empowerment and Healing During their Challenging Journeys with Hollis Wakefield
EBB 305 – A High-Risk Pregnancy and Miraculous Birth with Krista and John DeYoung, EBB Childbirth Class Graduates
EBB 350 – Surviving a Long Antepartum Hospital Stay and Preparing for a Scheduled Cesarean with Krista DeYoung, EBB Childbirth Class Graduate
EBB 356 – NICU-Informed Doulas: What are they and how can they change the NICU narrative? with Mary Farrelly, RN, Doula, and Founder of the NICU Translator

In one of the most popular podcast episodes ever published by Evidence Based Birth®, Dr. Rebecca Dekker sits down with Dr. Alyssa Berlin, a clinical psychologist specializing in pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting, to discuss ways to make the transition to postpartum smoother, healthier, and more joyful for families.
Together, they unpack why two-thirds of couples report a drop in relationship satisfaction after childbirth, what factors contribute to emotional struggles in the postpartum period, and how social media myths can set parents up for disappointment.
Through relatable stories and evidence-based strategies, Dr. Berlin explains why preparation during pregnancy matters and shares guidance on protecting mental health, building support, and keeping relationships strong.






(06:21) Parenting Expectations vs Reality
(10:04) Perinatal Anxiety and Identity Struggles
(13:33) Strengthening Bonds Before Parenthood
(15:22) Parenting Lessons: The Humbling "Baby Vortex"
(19:15) Postpartum Challenges and Parental Leave
(23:08) Postpartum Doula Support Research Needed
(25:47) Creative "Date Moment" Ideas for Couples



 
Resources
Follow Dr. Alyssa Berlin on Instagram: @dralyssaberlin
Learn about the AfterBirth Plan Workshop here.
Connect with the Berlin Wellness Group.
EBB 85 – The power of a well-planned birth – of twins!

 
For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

A healing birth can change the way you understand everything that came before it. In this episode, Dr. Dekker talks with EBB Childbirth Class graduate Michaela Raines about experiencing a deeply healing birth after a first birth that didn't go as planned.
Michaela shares her first hospital birth story—including unexpected interventions, a long pushing phase, perineal trauma, and a NICU stay—and how those experiences shaped her postpartum recovery. She then walks us through how education, intentional preparation, and support helped her approach her second pregnancy differently, leading to a fast, unmedicated water birth at a freestanding birth center. Michaela also reflects on how this birth felt both physically and emotionally redemptive and what she would share with parents preparing for a subsequent birth after a challenging experience.
(03:13) Michaela's first birth expectations vs. reality
(04:15) Unexpected interventions, epidural, and long pushing
(08:16) Postpartum recovery and feelings of embarrassment
(09:27) Discovering Evidence Based Birth® and choosing a birth center
(12:10) Preparing mentally for an unmedicated birth
(13:26) Birth center transfer protocols and emergency preparedness
(14:34) Early labor and false starts
(19:40) Arriving at the birth center and a rapid water birth
(21:13) The healing impact of her second birth
(24:58) Freedom of movement and choosing birth positions
(30:35) Birth affirmations that carried her through labor
(31:36) Advice for parents preparing for a healing second birth
Resources
EBB 292 – Confronting the Unknowns in Childbirth with Liesel Teen of the Mommy Labor Nurse
EBB 318 – Advocating for Waterbirth in Hospitals with Dr. Liz Nutter, DNP, CNM, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel

What is a due date, and how accurate is it, really? Dr. Rebecca Dekker is joined by Dr. Sara Ailshire of Team EBB to walk through the latest research on due dates, pregnancy length, and what happens when pregnancies go past term. They share the new research on ultrasound dating, the natural length of pregnancy, genetics, and stillbirth risk. They also talk about what a due date actually represents and how pregnancy length varies widely between individuals.
 
Content Note: This episode contains discussion of stillbirth, starting at 26:10 and ending at 40:57. Please take care while listening.
 
Read the Evidence on "What is a Due Date?" here.
 
(05:24) What is a due date and what it isn't
(06:16) How due dates are traditionally calculated
(09:45) Research on ultrasound accuracy
(12:25) Safety of ultrasound & the ALARA principle
(16:38) Why studying pregnancy length is complicated
(22:27) Genetics and family history of longer pregnancies
(25:41) Why providers worry about going past due dates
(27:50) Understanding stillbirth risk and the U-shaped curve
(34:20) Racial disparities in stillbirth risk
(38:37) What pregnant people can do to lower risk
(40:25) Sleep position, fetal movement awareness, and prenatal care
(44:06) Balancing trust in birth with honest risk communication
(45:20) What we know (and don't know) about placental aging
 
Resources
Count the Kicks: https://countthekicks.org/
PUSH Pregnancy: https://www.pushpregnancy.org/
Star Legacy Foundation: https://starlegacyfoundation.org/
Healthy Birth Day: https://healthybirthday.org/
CDC Stillbirth resources: https://www.cdc.gov/stillbirth/communication-resources/index.html
Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support: https://nationalshare.org/
Stillbirth and infant loss support communities: https://postpartum.net/group/stillbirth-and-infant-loss-support-for-parents/